momonthegoinholytoledo

Savor your Saturdays…you only get 940

March 12, 2012March 12, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

While standing in line at Toys R Us this past Saturday the cover of the latest edition of Parents magazine caught my attention. You know all those captivating saying they place on the cover in hopes of getting some sucker to purchase the magazine. It read, be an in-the-moment mom, 7 ideas that will bring you closer to your kids. I struggled in line to hurry up and locate that article, why do they make it so difficult to locate those darn articles? I even contemplated getting out of line to locate and read the article and then get back in line. Unfortunately my daughter didn’t understand why it would be okay for mommy to read her magazine without purchasing it but she wasn’t aloud to open her Barbie and playing with it without paying for it first. She had a point. I was obviously not modeling appropriate behavior, but I had to know, am I an in-the-moment mom? Did my daughter and I just experience a moment? Darn it!! I had to find out, so yes, I am officially one of those “suckers”.

All I could think about as I drove home was am I an in-the-moment mom? Meanwhile my daughter was talking about something or another but my mind kept going back to that questions. So once home I pulled out that magazine and made it my mission to find out if I am an in-the-moment mom. Oh, and the article is titled, Savor the Moments, (the article online has yet a different title) not be an in-the-moment mom. Why do they make it so difficult? If I wanted to waste my time hunting for things I could search for all those socks that are missing their match, I could search for my car keys, my sunglass, my youth!

Finally so, I locate the article and just as I am about to read it my daughter comes over needing help opening her Barbies (they were buy one get one at 50% off and she still had money on her gift card from Christmas, my savvy little shopper). So after freeing Barbie for the penitentiary that was the display box (actually, it would have been easier to literally break Barbie free from prison than it was to get her out of that darn box!!!) I finally am able to read the article. Well kind of, our toddler piled dress-ups and CDs on my lap while I read (but sat least she was quiet while doing so).

The synopsis is that the days with little ones might seem so long at times but they actually do fly by and it is important to savor the moments, to be present in those moments. The article gave great suggestions for being a more in the moment mom including:

Take pajama walks
Have a taco night (my kiddos love theme nights!!)
Fix things together
Don’t drive everywhere
Play their games
Serve ice cream sundaes and popcorn

What really drove it home for me was reading that we only get 940 Saturdays with our children, from the moment they are born till the day they leave for college, only 940. As I looked across the room at my little 6-year-old playing with her Barbies I realized I had already lost more than 260 Saturdays.

I tossed the magazine aside and rushed over to the CD player like it was on fire. I put the Disney Princess CD in, helped my toddler into her princess apparel, and we danced, and danced, and danced. Then I went it the kitchen and played fashion designer Barbie with my 6 year-old. Meanwhile daddy and our son were eating popcorn and watching Transformers together.

And that is how we savored our Saturday.

And I am thankful that magazine caught my attention, it brought me back to reality. I was getting caught up with things that didn’t matter.

How do you live in the moment? What do you do to savor your Saturdays?

No More Rack = Name Brands at 60-90% off retail

March 10, 2012April 11, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

I just went to the grocery store today and as usual I spent more than I would like to admit, even with my coupons, and my shopper’s card. I had planned on going shopping for spring shoes tomorrow, I was envisioning a cute little strappy sandal or wedge but it occurred to me that the kiddos will also be requiring new shoes and probably clothes (serious, they grow like weed. I have even contemplated encouraging coffee drinking at a young age just to slow their growth). Why is it that the kiddos are always growing taller while our pocketbooks seem to be shrinking? So mommy and daddy’s need, like most parents, will be placed on the back-burner, or will they??

Thanks to nomorerack we can remove those needs from the back-burner and put them on the front burner or just remove them (where the heck do you put them after the back burner? Do you drain them in the colander? Were they boiling?), or whatever you do.

How it works:

Go to No More Rack and checkout the incredible daily deals. If you see something you are interested in simply add it to your cart. But you need to act fast because the deals are only good for one day!!

Here are a few items I have added to my cart.

4569-xd — How cute are these! Octopus tissue dispensers, what kid wouldn’t like these??

4579-xd — Looking for a romantic evening or just a quiet night to yourself (yeah right!?! In our dreams, right moms?). Then an electric fireplace is sure to do the trick and thanks to no more rack it is like you are stealing it!

4534-xd — This would make a great Mother’s Day gift, hint hint (just in case he missed the picture of the candle).

4537-xd — At this price I will take one of each! Please.

See what others are saying.

How do they get the great deals?

They are always on the lookout for closeouts, overstocked items, and cancelled orders. This includes famous brands and they ensure that everything they sell is 100% authentic. They find the coolest stuff at the hottest prices and then pass the savings onto us! Fabulous name brands at 60-90% off retail every day!!

Bonus: Shipping is easy and cheap, a flat fee rate of $2 per product anywhere in the USA!!

How great is this site!

So grab the needs/wants from the back-burner and start shopping.

Happy shopping!

The Case of: Shouldn’t we be somewhere by now? Doink Doink (Snapshots of our day)

March 8, 2012March 8, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Ever feel like you spend a lot of time in your car traveling around town, picking up and dropping off children, often traveling no more than 10 miles from your home, and yet all that time and brief trips add up but you always arrive back where you started? Don’t you feel like you should be somewhere by now? Where does the time and mileage go?

I decided to solve this case through the use of snap shots. Each time we enter our vehicle the Law & Order Doink Doink will appear to indicate important evidence in this case.

So here we go…

park 006 — And so it begins, our trips, albeit short trips, in the car. We are off to story time at the Library. I have all 3 kiddos because our school district has a delay start. Thankfully we had a little bit of time to relax this morning our typical departure time is 8:40am.

Doink Doink

park 007 — She loves story time! Songs, bubbles, dancing, stories, and more! It is a ½ of toddler bliss!

park 008 — La pièce de résistance bubbles!

adayinthelife 002 — Back in the car! We need to go drop off our eldest at school. She had a delay start this morning. We do not have bus transportation so I often joke that I am the bus driver.

adayinthelife 004 — And we are off to the park on this unseasonably warm day.

adayinthelife 020 — Nothing like picnicking in the Park in the winter!!

adayinthelife 011 — It got up to 66 degrees, unseasonably warm for Northwest Ohio.

adayinthelife 023 — We had a blast at the park, now it is time to head home.

adayinthelife 031 — Once home from the park it was time to clean up from breakfast. I should have at least soaked this one, oh well, thank goodness for vinegar.

adayinthelife 035 — Crap, I forgot to wash my daughter’s Girl Scout smock. It’s not like it hasn’t been sitting down here for the past two week!! Why? Why do I do this to myself, do I like the rush that comes with, well, rushing? Truthfully, a little, yes. It’s like I am in a game show and I don’t know if I will make it before the buzzer goes off. The procrastination leads to anticipation that becomes addicting and so the cycle continues. And yes, in case you were wondering I did get the task accomplished before the buzzer. WINNER!!

adayinthelife 038 — Nap time!! This is also when mommy does a little dance time in honor of nap time!!!

adayinthelife 039 — The running around at the park helped, he is actually sleeping. Thank you God, I need a few minutes to myself in order to maintain my sanity, or what is left of it.

adayinthelife 042 — Time to prep dinner; I would love to kiss the person who invented the Cock-Pot, now that is a pure genius!!

adayinthelife 037 — Me time! Time to catch up on some of my favorite blogs! Let’s see what’s going on at Table for More, Allie is due like any minute with baby 3, maybe today is the day! Is blogging, writing and reading blogs, the new reality Soap Opera time? Hmm……

adayinthelife 043 — I try to take at least 10 minutes a day to workout. Which usually involves me doing standing sit-ups and, yes, I hate to even admit it but I have a shaky weight thing, there, I have come clean! My motivation is usually a DVR Dr. Oz show. Most of his shows involve weight loss, getting, healthy, and such. Not today, today was Pro Anna movement which entailed a lot of pictures of Anorexic women.

adayinthelife 050 — This is one of the images they showed. This is a woman’s hip bones, it was so sad. She is literally dying to be thin.

adayinthelife 028 — After viewing and listening to those women’s stories I ran to the kitchen with my shape-up shoes on and grabbed a cookie in honor of them. So much for my motivation!

adayinthelife 052 — It is nice to have a snack ready after school. Sweet Potato sticks are one of the kiddo’s favorite.

adayinthelife 054 — It is time to wake up, freshen up and go pickup our Kindergartener.

adayinthelife 057 — Nice incentive for being early to pickup, everyone get a few minutes to read, or in our preschooler & toddler’s case look at a book.

adayinthelife 060 — We are arriving home with all 3 kiddos with just enough time to freshen-up, have a quick snack, and grab her Girl Scout smock and go!

adayinthelife 062 — It is time for that after school snack. These go quick! So quick that it is difficult to capture in a picture, the toddlers had is that blur in the corner.

park 002 — I ran upstairs to go potty (that sounds real distinguished) and came down to find that our toddler had changed shirts, misplaced her pants, and was now wearing a hat. Seriously!?! We have to go, now!

adayinthelife 066 — We are all back in the car to drop off our eldest at a Girl Scout meeting. Thankfully we have an awesome neighbor, and friend, who’s graciously offered to drop her off after meetings. Thank you Sue!

adayinthelife 067 — Once home it is time to get things ready for tomorrow. Finish laundry, go through papers, clip coupons, plan menu of meals for next two weeks, answer questions about light sabers and dinosaurs (Really!?! I an extensive knowledge of things like architecture, food, clothes, furniture, and how to get food out of clothes and furniture but unfortunately my knowledge is lacking when it comes to Star Trek and Dinosaurs) and read Dora the Snow Princess 8 times.

me 013 — It is time to clip and organize coupons and finish meal planning which has been made so much easier thanks to Rachel Ray’s meal planning inserts from her magazine. Simply keep all the inserts in a file and go through past ones to plan for future meals (you can substitute certain ingredients in order to meet your dietary needs).

me 005 — Our little Girl Scout arrives home with this awesome St. Patrick’s Day craft. How cute is our little Lepracon? She always has so much fun at her meeting, her Leaders and mom helpers are amazing.

me 006 — This is one of those slim pickings meals, you know the ones, when you are trying to squeeze out one more meal before you have to go grocery shopping. This meal contains 4 ingredients, high fiber whole grain bread, one can of cream of mushroom soup, four skinless boneless chicken breasts, and green beans. So easy and full of fiber and protein, could you ask for more? (Well, I guess you could, someone else could so the dishes).

adayinthelife 068 — Before we eat dinner and our eldest goes to CCD (school of religion class) we read out of our MagnifiKid, The flight from Egypt, and do the Jelly Bean prayer.

me 012 — I am back in the car, for the last time (fingers-crossed), to drop of our eldest at CCD. My hubby does pick-up at 8pm, thank goodness.

Based upon the evidence provided and after carefully and thoroughly analyzing that evidence we have come to the conclusion that…..that…you should most definitely be somewhere by now.

Service, Eat, Love, (Shop), and Praise

March 5, 2012March 5, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

This weekend was amazing. It was one of those weekends where even though it was busy and full of activities I feel renewed and refreshed this morning. This past weekend I was fully submerged in my community and got to spend time with family and friends, through service and praise, what could be better than that?

Service…..

It all started Friday evening. Our local playgroup sponsored pizza and movie night at the Beach House, a local family shelter. For the past two weeks moms in our group have been generous in donating money to go towards the pizza order, made cookies, made brownies, purchased juice and pop, donated napkins, cups, and plates, donated movies, and some even dropped off their own donations based upon the shelter’s wish list.

So on Friday evening two other moms met at my home and we loaded up one of the moms Jeeps (it was so kind of her to drive, I was initially supposed to drive but my driver’s side windshield wiper fell off and wouldn’t you know it just so happened to be raining. It was a little scary to say the least but everything has worked out) with the donations, picked up pizza, and dropped of everything at the Beach House. While there it reminded me to be thankful for all I have. Sure there are moments when I wish I had a new computer, a new phone, a new mattress but being there on Friday reminded me to count my blessings. I have a home, heat, clothing, shower, a bed, and so much more. It also reminded me that in a blink of the eye it could all be gone, and my family could be that family in the shelter. It felt good to know that I was part of a group of amazing mothers who saw an opportunity in their local community, to give families less fortunate the joy of a family bonding activity in an otherwise less than ideal circumstance, and they were willing to help.

Love…

I started listening to K-love, a Christian based radio station, about two years ago and then I took their 30 day challenge and have been listening to nothing but since January. I listen mostly in the car while driving the kiddos to and from school, after school activities, playgroup meetups, church, and weekly errands. My interest in Christian music all began at a local Mother of Preschoolers (MOPS) meeting. Two DJs from Yes FM came in and explained the influence music can have on our children (I will blog more about this in the future) and that was my “aha moment”. Up until that point I thought it was cute when my son sang a Lady Gaga song word for word, I didn’t make the connection between the music and the image that was being portrayed in/by the music. So we made the switch to listen to positive and encouraging music. Now my son sings Matthew West and Casting Crowns songs word for word. So when my family heard that the Come to the Well tour was heading to Toledo we were excited.

It should be known that my mother and extended family have been listening to Christian music for years, decades really. I always thought they were a little crazy or overly religious, what was the big deal? I thought church was just the motions. I thought Sunday mass was just what you did, just because. It didn’t sink in, the magnitude, the feeling of peace that comes with knowing that Christ loves you know matter what. I think I was ashamed, guilty, or felt like I didn’t deserve Christ love, or maybe just elementary in my thinking (I will address this more in a future blog). So, it was a crazy journey there but I have finally come to the well.

Eat…

So the evening of the concert my family, my parents, sister, brother, grandfather (who turns 80 in a couple of weeks), uncles, aunts, cousins, my son, and I all met at Tony Packo’s for dinner before the concert.

It was a blast to catch up with everyone over Hungarian food at one of Toledo’s popular establishments.

Tony Packo’s has been serving Hungarian food since 1934 and is well-known for its buns signed by celebrities, M*A*S*H connections, and of course the delicious food.

Shop…

So we had a few minutes before the concert, what to do, what to do? Hmm, shop! Off course! So we stopped into the Swan Creek Candle co. and enjoyed the amazing aromas and the cool antiques on the second floor.

I took a few pictures of some items I would like for Mother’s day (Hint…Hint for my hubby. No more grabbing the cheap, contents containing known carcinogens candles ten minutes before we have Mother’s Day brunch).

concert 020 — This is my favorite. This would make a great Mother's Day gift.

Praise…

COME TO THE WELL concert was awesome. It was so much fun being with the extended family, having 4 generations present at such a moving concert was truly a gift from God (and my parents, thank you for the tickets), I felt so blessed and thankful for this night. The concert included, Lindsay McCaul, Matthew West, Royal Tailor, and Casting Crowns.

My 4-year-old thought Lindsay McCaul sang beautifully and wanted her CD. I agreed and yes, Nana got him the CD after the concert and we are so enjoying it.

I was really impressed with the group Royal Tailor, they are a great band for teens and tweens to listen to, I like the positive influence they can have on the younger generation.

Finally Casting Crowns came on stage. I had a difficult time explaining to our preschooler how a concert works. After every song prior to Casting Crowns he asked, “Are they next”?

All their songs are beautiful and moving but I got teary-eyed during Just Another Birthday.

Thankfully before I got to that point of sobbing, so others could hear, my little prince exclaimed, (and during a moment of silence for prayer), word for word…” I can’t hold it any longer. I have to go. I have to now. I have to go poop now!!” I guess God even knows when things are getting just a little to deep.

It was an amazing weekend.

Do you have a favorite song or Christian band that you enjoy listening to?

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

March 3, 2012March 5, 2013momonthegoinholytoledo

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
This is how we celebrated Dr. Seuss Birthday.

We start off with Green Eggs but no Ham because I do not like it Sam I am.

After they have finished their eggs I exclaim that today is their day! You’re off to great Places! You’re off and away!

Then Left foot, Right foot, Left foot, right to brush their teeth and make their hair neat.

Then carefully, Tenderly, Gently they creep into the car and then once at school I yell “use your FAST feet”.
There is work to be done before our friends arrive for fun!

But oh the pressures can be many for moms and that’s a fact but we must step with care and great tact and remember that life is a great balancing act.

Oh know, what could this be? What is it that I see? Is that pink ink that I dare see near the sink? No need to fear for this Kat, this Kat can handle that even without a cool looking hat!

Then we are headed to a most useless place. The Waiting Place…..for people just waiting. We waited for the snow to snow, the rain to go, and our friends to show. What to do while we wait, while we wait for our play date? Dr. Seuss Ville while of course it’s better than riding a horse.

Finally, finally could it be what is it that thing 1 sees? Our friends our friends they have arrived indeed. There is fun to be done! We have cakes to make and decorate, books to read and faces to feed.

Before we knew it the fun was done and thing 1 and thing 2 knew it.

To bed to bed I said mommy has an aching head.

So off they went, right foot, left foot, and then I called it, Thing 1 said to me “I am not tired I am not tired you see, there is no way I will succeed in this falling asleep scheme”. “Oh Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

After a quick snooze thing 1 and things 2 got in the car and we didn’t have to drive far to pick up thing 3 so we could flee off to the show, off to the show we must go!

We must be dexterous and deft and never mix up our right foot with our left. But the little one, thing 2 what should we do? She is so small does she really matter at all?

She may not be very tall but “A person is a person no matter how small”. So that settles that, it is a great fact!

Guess what show, guess what show the kiddos did go. Lorax, Lorax but you probably already knew that.

Oh what a show, oh what a show that they did go. They cheered and they cheered and they CHEERED more and more. They’d never seen anything like it before!

After the delightful show wouldn’t’ you know they had to go with appetites in tow! What to eat? What to eat that could be neat? I don’t mean to vent but do remember it is Lent. One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish?

After a great feast that couldn’t be beat they were back in their seat all tidy and neat. With brains in their head and shoes off their feet it was off to bed with their dreamy heads.

Do tell me if you dare to share, how did you spend Dr. Seuss’ Birthday day?

9th Wedding Anniversary gift, toilet!?!

March 1, 2012March 1, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

As many of you know our house is on the market. And while we haven’t received an offer, we would even settle for an insulting offer, we are hopeful. Last weekend we prepared for an open house. I have to admit we almost have this showing/open house thing down to a science. When preparing for an open house or a showing a symphony of emotions tends to accompany the process and it goes a little something like this:

Mommy and daddy are so excited, HOPE fills the house. Soon ANXIETY shows its ugly face and mommy starts yelling about toys on the floor, dirty clothes shoved under beds, the food on the trim, walls, and ceiling, oh, the crayon marks strategically placed 18” above the floor, and last but not least, the gosh darn toilet that is a graffiti of pee, rust, and mildew (daddy usually disappears around this time, off on doggy doodoo duty). The mood slowly lifts and ENTHUSIASM builds as the house becomes cleaner and cleaner. Then, like a big drum (my symphonic vocabulary really stinks, I should have taken orchestra, big drum, how expressive!) bang!!!! PANIC sets in! Panic because it is time to poke the cat with a broom in order to get her out from underneath the bed and into her cat carrier. Panic because it is time to hurry up and make the cookies that take 10 minutes, in five. Panic because you can’t remember where you put the car keys and you still have a bunch of crap to throw in the car. And then, like the end of a beautiful piece of music all is PEACEFUL and quiet again as the car keys are found, everyone is buckled into their seats (often with more crap piled on top of their laps) and you drive away PRAYING the entire time that God sends the person meant to purchase the house TODAY, please!

Thanks to my amazing husband (and my parents, they took the kiddos all day) preparing for our Open House this past Sunday was beautiful. Our symphony of emotions was lacking in the anxiety portion because he got me, us, the whole family really, but I just like to think me, because he knows the struggles, the frustration, the long sleepless nights (this might be a bit of a stretch but there were a few stomach flu filled nights and lots of morning sickness, make that all day sicknesses when pregnant with the kiddos) I had with the toilet, so he got A NEW TOILET!!

me 010 — The newest addition to our family/household

In honor of our 9th wedding anniversary (coming up in April) he splurged and purchased a brand new toilet!! He really does love me. All you moms can agree that nothing says honey I love you like a brand spanking new toilet. This is why we are declaring year 9 of marriage as the Year of the Toilet.

He really does love me!

I never really understood the purpose behind all the anniversary gifts. Like the first Anniversary, Year 1 is paper. Is that so you can write your condolences to each other?

Year 2 is cotton or straw? What? Is that because the little lady destroyed clothing while doing the wash and in an effort to keep the marriage afloat you purchase new cotton clothing and perhaps new sheets. Are we sleeping on straw mattresses anymore? What is the deal with the straw? You could make a scarecrow to scare away the marriage demons?

Year 4 is leather. Now this one I totally agree with and in fact we did purchase a leather couch for our 4^th year of marriage or maybe that was our 3? It kind of felt like a 4^th, that was the year we had our first child that was one long crazy year, so crazy it felt like two years.

Year 5 is wood. One website states a wooden cabin or a walk in the woods. Really!?! After 5 years what better way to express your love than a walk in the woods. Please, you can do that any gosh darn day. Or maybe your husband is not one to go for a walk in the woods. In which case if you find yourself walking in the woods with your husband on your 5^th Anniversary you might have cause for alarm, leave a trail for the authorities.

Year 6 is iron. No joke, one website states the following…. 6th wedding anniversary is iron. Not the steam iron variety, domestic appliances are not a romantic gift, ever! This iron is the heavy black metal, maybe a new gate, or a fun candlestick. Nothing says I love you baby better than his and hers side of the house divided by an iron gate no less.

Apparently we weren’t to far off with the 9 th Anniversary, it is pottery. Well, we did get something porcelain!

These date back hundreds of years and are supposed to be a lovely romantic gesture but I think it is time to update them; it is time to get with the modern-day necessities. Hello, we have indoor plumbing now and toilet is nowhere on the list even after all the crap you have been through during the past 9 years (the years that often include building a family, those are some crazy years; you see stuff that you can’t take back (childbirth and your husband peacefully sleeping while you get up a third time in one night with the baby)). Thus, we are officially declaring Anniversary 9, or Year 9 of marriage, as toilet, who is with us?

Tuesday’s Tribulation: Mommy bids adieu to local Playland

February 28, 2012February 28, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

I promised myself when I started this blog that I would never speak, or type, negatively about any local establishment. My purpose was to support local businesses and encourage others to do the same especially local businesses that pertain to motherhood, children, and the like since I myself am in the throes of motherhood. However what I never took into consideration was the fact that the time might come when a local establishment might have me questioning my loyalty.

It all started Sunday evening with a text. I had texted a friend inquiring about getting together later in the week. Our dilemma was we would have our kiddos. She would have her 5-year-old and 1-year-old and I would have my 18-month-old (my 4 & 6-year-old would be in school). So we tossed around a few ideas. We initially wanted to just sit down at a coffee shop and catch up on our lives but that was not going to happen with kiddos in tow. So we decided upon a local indoor playland where the kiddos can bounce in bounce houses and play on indoor playground equipment. It is an establishment our kiddos know well; we have met there for numerous play dates, birthday parties, and random drop-ins to reward good behavior. The only issue I have is the price; it is definitely pricey, for all three of my kiddos to play for an hour cost me $21. So I do try to limit our visits due to the cost however, as I mentioned, I would only have my 18-month-old and she cost $5 for an hour or $8 for all day (which we would not be staying that long because I would have to pick up my preschooler by 11:30am).

summerfun 074 — Here is our Toddler at this establishment when she was younger.

The day of our visit…

So, I drop off my 6 year-old at school then continue on and drop off my preschooler at school, stop and get a coffee, and then arrive early at the Indoor Playland (this was a shocker, I am hardly ever early). I am thinking sweet I have a few minutes to read my car book (I like to have a book that is solely a book to be read in the car while I wait for pickup in the afternoon, it is a nice incentive to get there early) however my toddler was not liking this idea. We managed to sit in the car for 10 minutes then she started screaming and so did my bladder, darn coffee. So we headed into the establishment. I explained the situation to the woman behind the counter. I was waiting for a friend to arrive in 20 minutes but my toddler was getting restless in the car and I really needed to use the restroom. So, I gave her $6 (extra dollar to cover the extended time), signed in my daughter, she received the necessary stamp, I removed her shoes, put on her socks, and we then took a mad dash to the restroom.

The next hour played out a little something like this: (it should be noted that they have a toddler area but the problem is the Toddlers do not stay contained in it) Toddler ran around the establishment. I ran around the establishment. Toddler looked at the bounce houses. I tried to get her to go in the bounce house. Toddler looks at me like I am nuts. (I am thinking come on kid; I just spent $6 bounce already!! We can swing and run at the park for free). Our friends arrive at the establishment. We say hello. Toddler tries walking up the slides. I stopped her. I try to squeeze out a sentence with my friend as she runs to the restroom. Toddler runs around the establishment. I run around the establishment. Friend waves as she runs after her child. Toddler is actually in the toddler area for 5 minutes (My friend and I start to have a real conversation but wait…) and then Toddler bolts. I ran after her. Toddler wants to swing. I pushed her in the swing. Friend puts her baby in swing. Finally we can talk, but not for long. Toddler wants out of swing. This continues for about 20 more minutes and then I notice the time, it is 11AM, our time is up. I grab the diaper bag, her coat, and shoes. Sit her down take off her socks, put on her skidders, and coat. Then my darn bladder beckons again (3 kiddos destroyed my bladder and the caffeine doesn’t help either). My friend offers to watch her while I pee, again. So, by the time I am done going to the restroom, getting her ready and saying goodbye it is 10 minutes after 11 (mind you she did not play during that time).

Phew, what a long long long 1-1/2 hours, no time during that stay would I classify as fun, I did not have fun. In fact I would probably call it the most exhausting 1-1/2 hours of the day and so much for spending time with my friend while the kiddos play (in case anyone is taking notes on how to improve this establishment here is an idea, get higher freaking gate in the toddler area, that would be so much more enjoyable for the parents. Also, have the shoes, coats, and an additional restroom separate from the play area this way the parents aren’t getting charged for putting on winter coats, hats, mitten, boots, shoes, and kiddos and parents peeing, that time adds up. Make it more enjoyable for the parents and the kiddos are likely to stay for longer period and come back more frequently. Give playgroups a discount. Have fun days/week, like pajama week or twin day and have the kiddos dress similar to get a discounted price, etc).

As I walk past the woman who greeted us at the beginning of our visit I smile as I am trying to contain my toddler on my hip and say thank you. In my mind I am thinking here is a woman who can probably relate (she seemed to be older and I assumed at one time probably had a toddler of her own). I honestly thought she was going to say something encouraging like “hang in there the toddler phase goes by fast and have a great day” or “ thanks for visiting us again, hope to see you soon”, or even just “goodbye”. After all, while visiting My Urban Toddler last week we were greeted with nothing but open arms. They were so welcoming and wanted to know if there was anything they could do to make our visit more comfortable, and they thanked us for visiting them. That is an establishment that is not in my community; it is 40+ minutes away, but surprisingly cost less, has food for kiddos, comfy spot for moms to sit and converse over a cup of coffee, and is all around accommodating to the parents. Of course I would receive the same, if not better, hospitality from an establishment within my own community. But instead she said “Next time I am going to need the full payment”. WHAT!

playland 013 — Finally, one of our preschooler w/our 6 year-old

I paid $6 to run after my toddler (which is something I can do at home for free) stop her from walking up slides and pushed her in a swing (these are things I can do at the park for free) she has no interest in the gosh darn bounce house (I realize this is a moot point but I still needed to say it). The hourly rate for an 18 month-old is $5 the all day rate is $8. We visited for 1-1/2 hours and paid $6, an extra dollar to cover the “inconvenience period” which entailed me peeing twice and changing my toddler’s shoes, socks, and coat. Are we really having this conversation about the $2?? What about the future visits I will make with all three kiddos that will cost me $21? Or the future kiddo birthday party where we will drop $200+? Are we seriously having a conversation about $2? What about the 100+ members from our local playgroup who I will be divulging this scenario to (in addition to any reader) All because of $2? I walked out to the car. I stood there for a moment trying to process everything.

I am not done….

I turned around, grabbed my wallet with my debit card went back inside and inquired if they accepted a debit card. The same woman stated “yes” and she took my card and swiped it. She began to say something while I signed the receipt but to be totally honest I don’t remember, I was to busy attaining my closure.

Now I am done.

We will cherish the memories.

It‘s Totsy Time! You’re invited to save 90% off retail

February 27, 2012February 27, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

What is Totsy?

Totsy is where the savvy moms shop. This is where moms on the go can get the latest and greatest baby fashions, baby gear, children’s clothes, shoes, and so much more.
Here is what you need to know:

Membership is free click here
Exclusive sales for kids, moms and families
Savings of up to 90% off retail
Sales last up to 3 days
A tree is planted for your first purchase
Refer friends and earn Totsy credits

Just look at some of the items that have piqued my interest….

What are you waiting for? Start Totsying now, simply click here

My Urban Toddler…Mommy’s little Oasis

February 24, 2012February 24, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

My hubby and I attended a Christmas party back in January and while there I had the opportunity to chat with a friend I hadn’t spoken with in forever, mostly because we became moms. Isn’t it crazy how one minute you are just two couples hanging out drinking wine, having sushi, laughing about life, not a care in the world (for the most part) and the next we have 5 kiddos between the two of us. So, while catching up on the daily happenings in each other’s lives the topic of where to go with toddlers, especially in the winter, came up. She had a gem of a recommendation, My Urban Toddler in Saline Michigan. Apparently it has been operating for like 6 years. What!?! How could I have never heard of it? Word of mouth did not travel very fast which is unusual because when you get a group of mamas gabbing you can learn about things happening on the other side of the globe.

It’s a date, playdate…..

So, the next day I got online checked out My Urban Toddler, it looked like the best time ever, and it is only 44 miles away, so I posted it to our playgroups meetup calendar. I was eagerly awaiting our visit and a little worried that the weather wouldn’t cooperate. Thankfully for some reason Ohio isn’t getting a winter this year so ice, snow, sleet, and any other form of frozen precipitation will not be a problem. My next concern was the drive, maybe it would be too long, maybe I would get lost (I think I am the last person on this planet without a phone that can get the intranet or a GPS). But thankfully my trusty old Map Quest directions that I jotted down on a random piece of paper (which turned out to be one of our daughter’s gorgeous art work masterpiece, oops) five minutes before we left worked just fine and dandy.

The day of our visit…..

To my surprise we arrived early (a half-hour early), I didn’t get lost, and it was really easy to locate. So I got the kiddos out and we strolled in to checkout the place while we waited for the other moms to arrive.

As I opened the door to My Urban Toddler and we walked in I was greeted by a mother’s dream boutique come true, the latest and greatest mommy must haves for babies/children stylishly displayed. The merchandise called to me, and I think my kiddos too. I dare anyone to leave My Urban Toddler (or the website, http://www.myurbantoddler.com/p-16272-small-bee-wheely.aspx )without purchasing a cute hat, fun art and crafts to do with your kiddos, or the latest learning toys (how can you say no to those, they foster cognitive learning and occupy your child for a given amount of time). I had to quickly walk past the merchandise since my hubby and I had already agreed upon a budget for this trip (next time I am factoring in gas twice…I have got to get my Toddler one of those cute riders, she loved the piggy and cow but there is also a bee).

My wish list….

16272 — I had a tough time getting my Toddler off the scooter that they had there, she loved it!!

16173 — This desk is perfect for a toddler and is so adorable; I like the pocket on the back of the chair.

16097 — This chair is too cute and it is also available in different patterns/designs. Wish they had one in my size too.

14923 — This will help us organize our gazillion hair bows and it matches the girls room, I want.

16449_1_ — Budding Artist Diner, this is perfect for going out to eat, it is a portable imagination station. Hey, since the kiddos are occupied maybe we can actually have our entire meal at the restaurant instead or asking for boxes before the meal comes out, maybe!

Okay, enough shopping, back to our visit….

As I entered into the Play areas it reminded me of a cool place you would see in a movie or a sitcom (don’t be surprised if you see something like this on the show Up All Night), where the lead of the show takes their totally hip posh tot and you are like, “I want to go somewhere like that!!!”. Well now you can (unless you live a far distance from here in which case, sorry, but you can still purchase the amazing products they carry in their store). We paid (wich as so reasonable), hanged up our coats, took off our shoes and set sail for a fun-filled morning.

The indoor play area is filled with an imagination driven floor plan. The layout is an imaginary town with a crawlers station located in the center (which is perfect for safety, no one wants a toddler trampling over a crawlers or infant) and a fire station, library, school, theater, grocery, and house around the parameter. There are also little mommy oasis, the café, as well as an additional couch/food area where mommies can sip on coffee, read, check mail, etc. or simply set claims, or dibs on a diaper bag location.

myurbantot 027 — It was love at first sight, she scooted those scooters all over the play area.

myurbantot 033 — She liked the castle, even more than the doll house.

myurbantot 037 — She is leaving the house on the scooter again, told ya, the scooter was a big hit!

My Urban Toddler kept the interest of all our playgroup kiddos aged 0-5, as the website states…

For the infants there is an Infant Park located in the center so that parents with infants can feel secure knowing that the littlest ones are safe within the park. It contains soft toys and mats cushion the park atmosphere while also allowing fine and gross motor skill development.

myurbantot 040 — Here she is playing with toys in the “School” which also included a chalkboard wall.

Toddlers can head “downtown” where a beautiful aquarium marks your arrival into My Urban Toddler City. It is there that the kiddos can view the whole city and choose their first destination. Kiddos can start by scooting around town on a cute animal scooter and visit the Theater for dress-up, puppet shows, story-time, and so much more. For quiet time, it is off to the Library filled with age appropriate books, puzzles, and creative toys. Little ones with an adventurous streak will want to stop in at the “Firehouse” to dress up as a fireman and hop onto the wooden fire truck.

myurbantot 030 — Here she is playing in the grocery store.

The unique environment is geared toward expecting parents or parents with small children ages 0-5. In consideration of those older siblings that would like to come, they say Welcome!

myurbantot 062 — She hit the dress-up area hard. Here she is wearing not one but two tutu and a Cat ears headband.

My preschooler had a wonderful time as well. He gravitated more towards the fire truck and library.

In addition to the fact that My Urban Toddler play area is a gated, inescapable, safe, and fun play area for toddlers, that also accommodates mommy’s need to interact socially with other moms, it also has clean changing area and nursing area as well as a clean environment to eat healthy (or unhealthy your call moms) food they have available for purchase. After roaming the imaginary town for an hour any toddler would be parched and worked up a bit of an appetite. So we headed for the snack area and the kiddos each selected their own snacks. Our toddler decided on goldfishes and preschooler, cheez-its, shocker, right?? So we sat for albeit two minutes while they sipped their Apple & Eve juice boxes and ate their additives and preservatives (it was a special occasion).

All the moms from our playgroup had nothing but positive reviews, we will be going back, hopefully in the near future and I will be extending my budget to allow for a couple of purchases from the shop. So, the next time you are thinking, “I have got to get out of the house but where to go?” remember My Urban Toddler. And if you don’t live nearby you can at least peruse My Urban Toddler’s website and purchase toys, clothes, etc. from their online shop http://www.myurbantoddler.com/.

Technical info:

To Schedule your next play date with your girlfriends, grab a cup of coffee and relax while your kids are safely playing near by! Available during normal business hours Monday and Tuesday. When you schedule a play date that consists of 4 or more adults receive $1.00 off admission for each child. Please call or stop in to add your play date to our calendar at least 24 hours in advance. Please provide a contact name or group name and remind all group members that they must mention the group name or contact name in order to receive the discounted admission.

Wednesday – Friday will be reserved for classes and private group events. Please call for availability and pricing.

Tribute to Fat Tuesday that includes a GIVEAWAY!!!

February 21, 2012February 21, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Happy Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday!!!

Today is the day to celebrate; it is the last hoorah before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Which means it is time to get those indulgences out-of-the-way before tomorrow. My indulges include, and in no particular order……

Paczki

Fat Tuesday means Paczki, pronounced (poonch-key). Paczki are traditional polish pastries that are deep-fried, sugar-coated, glazed, or iced and filled to the point of bursting with fruit or cream filling. In terms of a historical perspective Paczki are a special indulgence and tradition on Fat Tuesday because the idea was to use up all the fat, sugar, eggs, and fruit before the fasting of Lent begins.

fattues 015 — Son eating Paczki, he actually likes the lemon ones, yuck!

fattues 012 — Me shoving my face….Fat Tuesday only comes once a year, what’s one Paczki in the grand scheme of things?

GIVE AWAY

Shopping….(I might not have to give this up thanks to Sneakpeeq)

Hello!! What women amongst us doesn’t enjoy perusing the mall or web for stylish (insert favorite fashion ensemble or accessory here) and/or delectable treats to eat? Well, I have a confession; I might have found a loophole for this one. I planned on giving up shopping due to the financial strain it can cause and throwing money out the window is not good. But, what if there was a way to nurture the fashionista or foodie inside of you without breaking a sweat or your pocketbook (Really!?! Who says pocketbook anymore? But you get the point).

GIVEAWAY….So here is the deal

Sneakpeeq, the largest and fastest growing social shopping company on Facebook that has “all the things you love, but haven’t discovered yet” (such an honest tag line) is giving everyone 20% off their first purchase just for signing up. AND…that’s right sisters there is an AND….you will be entered in a giveaway for a chance to win a $25 gift card to purchase items for the fashionista, foodie, or interior decorator in you (and $25 is a substantial amount thanks to Sneakpeeq budget-friendly boutiques).

To receive your 20% off and enter the $25 gift card giveaway you must CLICK HERE and join sneakpeeq! Winner will be announced on my blog March 9^th, 2012. Happy Shopping Ladies!!

Skinny Girl Margaritas…..

I’ll be honest; I do enjoy a glass of Skinny Girl Margarita at the end of the week, often Friday evening once the kiddos are in bed. I can sit down and sip on this refreshing and less guilt margarita while daydreaming of a tropical beach somewhere, just me and my hubby, (and my flat pre-babies belly of course) just laying on a beach soaking up some sunshine (there is no need to worry about skin cancer or wrinkles in a daydream) it is beautiful!! Goodbye to my daydream inducing sipping pleasures.

Girl Scout Cookies…

We just picked them up yesterday, time to hurry up and load up on my Samoas before tomorrow. Funny Story….Our preschooler came downstairs this morning and was greeted by this site.

His eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, “I love Fat Tuesday”. I had to laugh, I could contain myself. I then of course explained to him that they are not all our cookies, they do belong to other people.

Starbucks…

Hello Old friend. For Lent I will be giving up Starbucks. To clarify this means I will not walk into a Starbucks OR drive through the Drive-thru (Wow! That was difficult to type; I can only image how difficult it will be to drive past).

I have decided to make time with my children an even stronger priority during Lent. This means reading more books (yes, even the same book 8 times), playing more games, and doing more crafts.

In recognition of Mardi Gras I am including a fun craft you can do with your kiddos, simply click here.

How are you celebrating Fat Tuesday? What are your Fat Tuesday indulgences?